Limited Time
by Frzn Mmnt
Summary: Part 2 of “Precious Things”. Ania and Trowa receive some happy news. But Ania's health takes a turn for the worse. How many times will Trowa have to say Good bye? 3 x OC, 4 x5, 1 x R, and 2 x H. Yaoi.
1. If the Truth Be Told

**Disclaimer: All Gundam Wing Characters and references belong to their respective owners. Story elements and original characters © Kathryn Summers. No money was gained in the writing of this story.**

Dedicated to my computer which has more patience than anybody or anything I know.

_Limited Time_

_Part 2 of Precious Things_

_Chapter 1 - If the Truth Be Told_

"Duo, is she alright?"  
"Who?"  
"Ania Winner?"  
Duo stared across the room at the forms of his friend and fellow ex-Gundam Pilot, Trowa Barton and Trowa's date, Ania Winner. She looked lovely in her silver dress, her white/blonde tresses piled on the top of her head in a mock diamond tiara, a stark contrast to Trowa's black tuxedo. This beautiful silver Angel was, however, very pale and leaning heavily on Trowa's arm.  
The brown braided pilot shrugged it off, "She's probably had a little to much to drink this evening. Remember last year's Christmas party? Ania outdrank all of us including me. I'll never live that one down as long as I live."  
"I know, I remember, but I haven't even seen her with one glass all evening." Responded Hilde, Duo's wife.  
"So, neither have you. I just assumed that two of you wanted to have a tame evening."  
"We haven't said hello yet. Let's make ourselves known." Hilde dropped Duo's hand and she glided over to Trowa and Ania. She also looked stunning in her crimson ball gown with roses in her in raven hair. Duo, in a black traditional tux like Trowa's, followed.  
The two women hugged, "Ah, Ania, it's lovely to see you here this evening."  
"Same here, Hilde." Ania said, "We haven't gotten a chance to get together since you and Duo got married. How many months ago was that?"  
Hilde threw her head back and laughed, "Four hellish months married to Duo Maxwell."  
Duo's eyes widened at his wife, "Hey, I heard that."  
"I know, Dear, I know." Hilde smiled at the braided man next to her, "You know I love you too, don't you?"  
The four of them laughed. Everyone knew that Duo and Hilde's love for one another was as solid as the diamond she wore on her finger.  
Hilde sighed and stared out across the ballroom. "The Cinq Kingdom Christmas parties have always been quite the occasion especially with Milliardo Peacecraft and Miss Noin on the thrown as King and Queen. Last year's was certainly a time to remember coupling the Christmas party with Heero and Relena's wedding and reception. They're lucky to have one year of wedded bliss under their belts."  
Ania gave her a weak smile, "Relena must be so happy having her brother up there on that throne and not herself. She has more time to concentrate on her marriage and her child."  
Trowa laughed at the mention of the newly born Yuy baby, a little boy Relena and Heero called Thomas, "Did anyone ever imagine Heero as a father?"  
"Did anyone imagine Duo as a father?" Hilde said, a hint of mystery in her voice.  
The three of them, including Duo, turned and stared at her. The music and other couples' chatter continued in the background, unaware of the small bomb that only just exploded over poor Duo's head.  
"What?" Duo stared at his wife.  
"Yes, Love, in six month's time, you are certainly going to be in the same position as Heero is now." Hilde pulled him close and kissed his cheek.  
Trowa held out his hand to Duo, "Well, what can I say, congratulations to both of you. What a wonderful Christmas gift."  
Trowa and Duo shook hands.  
Ania asked, "Have you told anyone else yet, Hilde?"  
"Yes, My mother went with me to the Doctor's office, but I decided to wait until I told Duo before telling any of our friends. Only it didn't turn out quite that way." Hilde replied.  
Beaming at her friend, Ania gave the other woman another hug, "Oh, I'm so happy for the both of you."  
Duo spied his best friend, Heero, out of the corner of his eye, "If you'll excuse us, Ania and Trowa, I think I see Heero and if anyone can sympathise with me, it'll be him."  
Hilde laughed nervously, but Trowa noticed Duo's eyes sparkling with hidden excitement at the prospect of becoming a father after only a few months of marriage. He bid Duo and Hilde farewell and turned to his date. She looked pale and sad even though she smiled, and a haunting faraway look had overtaken her eyes.  
"What is it, Angel?" Trowa whispered into her ear. "You don't look very well."  
"Trowa, I think I'm just tired." Ania softly replied. "Can we sit down? I could use a drink as well. Just a softdrink, I don't think I could hold any alcohol this evening."  
"Alright." He led her to a chair and bade her to sit down, "Please, sit here a moment then, I'll be back soon.  
Ania nodded, resting her hands in her lap. She watched Trowa disappear into the crowd.  
"Ania?"  
She whirled around, startled, only to find her brother's childlike face staring down at her. "Oh, Quatre, it's only you."  
"Ania, is everything alright? You've been less than sociable this evening and that is not at all like you. You've only just said hi to Duo and Hilde, and Wufei and I have been searching for the two of you all evening." Quatre took the seat next to Ania's.  
Ania stared into her brother's concerned blue eyes and brushed a lock of his blonde hair off his forehead. "It's nothing, Quatre, I'm fine. I'm just tired and Trowa is getting a drink for me. I haven't felt like talking to anybody tonight."  
A look of mild worry crossed Quatre's handsome face.  
"Please, dear brother, I am fine." Ania pleaded, "Do not worry."  
Trowa nodded at Quatre as he came up behind Ania's chair. Quatre stood up and they exchanged a brief hug. Since their first meeting just before the After Colony wars, Quatre and Trowa knew only the close friendship they shared, and Quatre had been delighted when his beloved baby sister began to date the tall, stoic pilot.   
Quatre, now doing contract work for the Peacecrafts of the Cinq Kingdom, rarely saw the young couple, since Trowa and Ania lived with Trowa's sister and the rest of his circus family on the L3 colony.  
"Jesus, Trowa, must we only see each other when somebody throws a party like this? You guys have got to get out and visit us more often."  
Trowa smiled, sitting down at the table and putting Ania's drink in front of her, his green eyes reflecting his thoughts of brotherly love for his best friend, "Cathie only seems interested these days in booking as many colony shows as possible. I've insisted an unknown number of times we move the circus to earth for a while, but my pleas always tend to fall on deaf ears. I need a break. I want to come back to earth for a while. Ania's looking like she needs it anyways."  
Quatre sat down next to Trowa and glanced at his sister. His brow furrowed with obvious concern as she stared into her drink, paying little attention to either him or Trowa.  
The blonde man stared at his best friend and mouthed the words, "Is she okay?" Trowa only shrugged and shook his head, indicating that he did not know.  
"Ania?" The girl looked up and into the aquamarine eyes of her brother, brought out of whatever world she had shut herself into. "Do you want to dance with me?"  
With a tired sigh, she looked at her boyfriend, "Trowa?"  
"Go ahead, Angel, I don't mind. I'll still be here when you are finished."  
Taking Quatre's hand, she slowly followed him out to the dance floor, where she allowed her brother to sweep her into the Christmas waltz.  
"Where did you learn to dance like this, Quatre?" She asked.  
"Iria taught me when I was younger." He said, fondly remembering an older sister of theirs who died during the After Colony Wars. "She always had a love for dancing and I happened to be the only male around so she always chose me to be her partner."  
Ania allowed herself to be taken in by the music and the other dancers and the feeling of safety as she held onto her brother. But Ania did not feel well, nor had she all evening, and the buzz and excitement of the moment was all too much for her body. Her head swam and a black halo closed around her line of vision. Without warning, Ania collapsed and was caught by Quatre only in the nick of time.  
"Ania?" Quatre's voice held panic, "Ania, what's wrong, please?"  
Ania did not move or respond to her brother's frantic pleading. "Somebody help me!" He shouted, "My sister's just fainted."  
A crowd gathered around him, not one person moving to help him as he tried to rouse his sister from the faint. Shoving her way through the crowd, a familiar face greeted Quatre as Dr. Sally Po, a close friend of both Lucretzia Peacecraft and the Gundam Pilots, arrived to help.  
"Get her off the dance floor and take her to one of the chairs." Sally said to him, "I'm right behind you."  
In a hurried gesture, he picked her up and carried her off the dance floor, followed closely by Sally.  
Sally directed Quatre to sit Ania down on one of the chairs.  
Trowa, startled by the sound of Quatre's alarmed voice above the music, arrived just as her brother placed Ania in the chair. He stopped and dropped to his knees at the sight of her slumped forward in the chair and gently touched her faced as if willing his touch to bring her back around. A crowd of people, intent on seeing what was wrong, began to push their way towards the table occupied by Quatre and Trowa.  
Sally dropped down next to Trowa and wrapped her fingers around the younger girl's wrist to take her pulse, "What happened?"  
Quatre shook his head, "I don't know. She wasn't looking very well and then when we were dancing she just collapsed in my arms without any warning."  
Trowa stared at the Auburn haired doctor next to him with fear in his emerald eyes, "Is she going to be okay?"  
"Her pulse is slightly elevated, but she's only just blacked out, nothing more." Sally said, gently dropping the girl's hand. She gently patted the girl's face. "Come on, Honey, come back to us."  
Ania moaned and shifted her head towards the face that spoke to her. Sally smiled with relief. "She's coming around now. Can we get her upstairs? My med kit is in the car and I'd like to take her blood pressure and ask a few questions."  
Trowa stood up and picked up Ania in his arms as though she were only a feather. "Quatre will show you the way up to our rooms. We'll see you up there shortly."  
The gathered crowd stood back to let Trowa through. Duo and Wufei Chang, who had joined the braided pilot only moments before, followed the Heavyarms pilot upstairs, leaving Relena, Hilde, and Heero to deal with the crowd. 

***** 

Upstairs, Trowa gently set Ania down on the bed they shared. She was still groggy and not quite fully conscious. He carefully sat down next to her. "Duo, can you get me a glass of water, please?"  
"Sure thing, Buddy." Duo exited the room in search of the drink.  
Wufei stood over Trowa near the bed. "Shake her a bit, Tro, and speak to her. She's probably just fine but you should try and see if you can wake her further. Then she might be able to tell Sally what's wrong."  
Trowa shook her softly, trying to rouse her completely from the dark sleep that held her so tightly in it's grip. "Ania, it's me, Trowa. Come on, Angel, wake up, please."  
Ania trembled and then opened her eyes fully. "Trowa?" She whispered, "What happened? Where am I?"  
"It's alright, you're safe in our bed. You just collapsed, Sally's on her way now." Trowa said, gently squeezing her cold clammy hand in his. "She's cold, 'Fei, can I have that blanket?"  
Wufei pulled a spare blanket from the end of the bed and handed it to Trowa, who covered the girl with it. Both pilots looked over to see Sally enter the room, carrying her medical kit, followed by a frightened looking Quatre.  
"She's fully awake now, Sally." Trowa said, both him and Wufei vacating their spots on the bed to allow Sally to do her job.  
Sally sat down on the bed, pulling instruments out of the medical kit and talking softly to the girl. Trowa and Wufei moved back to stand with Quatre. Trowa's eyebrows went up to see the blonde clasp Wufei's hand in a tight grip.  
"Quatre, you didn't tell me you and Wufei were" Trowa stammered out.  
Quatre said nothing, while a small smirk crossed the Chinese man's face, "We didn't think we needed to announce it."  
Trowa's surprised expression faded into his normal stoic one, "Well, whatever makes the two of you happy is fine with me, but don't expect the same kind of treatment from Duo."  
Wufei shrugged, "We will not have any trouble from Maxwell."  
"What have you done, Wufei?"  
"Nothing at all, Trowa."  
"Trowa?" Quatre said, interrupting the conversation between the two pilots. "Sally wants you."  
Trowa walked back over to the bed that held his beloved, slowly moving to the side opposite Sally. "What is it?"  
"She's fine as far as I can tell, slightly dehydrated and she tells me she hasn't eaten today, but fine. I'd like the two of you to come in tomorrow morning and we'll take a further look, just to be sure." Sally turned to Ania, "And you, please eat something light now and have a good breakfast and drink lots of water."  
Almost on cue, Duo entered the room, carrying a tray with an empty glass and a pitcher of water. Trowa accepted it from him and filled the glass. Sally and he helped Ania to sit up. Ania, still a little groggy, took the water from him and sipped it gently so as not to upset her already weak stomach.  
Sally put her things back into her kit and stood up, "I'll see you both in the morning. I'll give regards on your behalf to the others downstairs. Good night."  
Ania and the four pilots watched Sally leave the room and close the door behind her.  
Trowa looked at Duo, "Everything alright downstairs?"  
"Yeah, Relena and Hilde got things back under control." Duo sat down in the spot Sally vacated. "You gave us all quite a scare, Miss. Don't you be doing that again."  
"I'm sorry, Duo." Ania said, giving him a weak smile and patting his hand. "Please tell them thanks."  
Duo stood up, "I'm going back to Hilde now. You need anything else?"  
They all shook their heads.  
"Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow."  
"Hang on, one sec, Maxwell. I'll go with you." Wufei called. He turned to Quatre. "I'll see you downstairs?"  
"Yes, I think so. I'm going to stay with Ania a little bit longer."  
The Chinese man gave him a small nod, resisting the urge to kiss his partner goodbye in front of Duo Maxwell, "Very well. See you soon then."  
And both pilots were gone, shutting the door softly behind them.  
Trowa averted his gaze from Ania to Quatre. "Sally asked that she eat something tonite. I'm going to go get that something. There's bound to be enough party food for her downstairs. Stay with her, Quatre?"  
The Arabian nodded and sat down on the bed next to his sister, "I won't move until you get back."  
After Trowa left, Aquamarine eyes bored holes into Ania forcing her to shift in discomfort. "There's something going on with you, Ania, and you're going to tell me what it is right now."  
"II can't, Quatre." She whispered, staring down at the bed, her hands busy fidgeting with the blanket that covered the lower half of her body.  
"You caused so much worry for us downstairs." Quatre pleaded, "What could be so wrong with you that you can't even tell me."  
"Because I haven't yet told Trowa?"  
"Told him what, Ania?" He pulled her hands away from the blanket they grasped and held them tightly. "Ania, when your health is in jeopardy and scares us like this, you gotta expect us to be concerned for you and at least try to tell us what's wrong."  
"Quatre, I'm pregnant." She suddenly blurted out.  
Quatre, for a moment, could only stare. Finally finding his voice, he said, "You haven't told that to Trowa?"  
"I'm afraid to, Quatre, I'm afraid that he isn't going to want me anymore." Tears filled her blue eyes, "He's never made mention once of marriage or children and we've been together for a year and a half. His friends are getting married all around him and having kids, too. He's gotta know it's on my mind. But I never expected it to happen like this. He's going to think I planned it and am forcing him into marriage and family just because I'm jealous of our friends. But it's not like that, Quatre, it was an accident."  
Pulling her close, Quatre let her cry on his shoulder, her sobs muffled against the material of his tuxedo jacket, "It isn't like that, Ania, you're not giving him enough credit."  
"But how do you know, Quat, how do you know that?" Ania asked between sobs.  
"Because I've known him a lot longer than you and he does confide in me some things." He gripped her shoulders, moving away from her and looked at her squarely in her face, "I know he loves you so much and has no intention of ever leaving you. Not for anything, Ania, he told me so."  
She instinctively wiped her tears from her face, "Oh, Quatre, I'm still so scared. If I don't tell him tonight, he'll find out tomorrow from Sally."  
"Maybe it's better that way."  
"Perhaps."  
The door opened, revealing Trowa and a small tray of food for Ania, "Food courtesy of the Peacecraft Christmas party."  
"I'm going now, Ania, take care of yourself tonight and call if you need me, please." Quatre got up off the bed and turned to Trowa, "I'm serious, anything and call me."  
The two pilots hugged each other and Quatre left to rejoin the other's downstairs at the party.  
Trowa helped Ania change her clothes and then sat on the edge of the bed and watched her carefully as she ate the light snack that he brought to their room.  
"Stop staring at me, Trowa"  
"I'm going to make sure you eat every bite of that before you go to sleep."  
"You're making me paranoid."  
Trowa got up with a sigh of frustration, "And what happened downstairs tonite didn't make me paranoid? What's up with you, Ania, why did you suddenly decide not to eat anything? Is there something that you're not telling me?"  
"Trowa, II suspect it's just a case of the stomach flu and nothing more." Ania quickly averted her eyes to avoid him seeing the guilt she held and gave him her empty plate, "I felt sick yesterday morning and I threw up this morning. I didn't want to risk not being able to come to the ball tonite and so I just didn't eat today. I didn't think this would happen. I'm being honest with you, Trowa, I'm not hiding anything from you."   
"Well, I have a right to be worried." Trowa discarded most of his clothing and crawled into bed next to her. "Sally will let us know tomorrow."  
"Do I **have** to go see Sally?"  
Trowa shut the lamp off, "Yes, you're going to see Sally. I will not have any episodes like this again. Not if we can prevent them."  
Not long after he had shut the light off, Trowa fell into a restful sleep. Ania lay as close to him as she could get but found she could not sleep. A nagging feeling at the back of her mind kept her thoughts active and prevented the sleep she so desperately needed. Carefully getting up, so as not to wake Trowa, Ania pulled a chair over to the window to stare into the night sky, into the space that she and Trowa both loved so much, peaceful and empty space.  
He's going to find out tomorrow, isn't he, Ania, and then what will you do, and all because you were too chicken to tell him tonight, she kept thinking over and over as a single tear slid down her cheek. No matter how hard she tried, Ania would not be sleeping this night.

*****

The door to the room that housed Quatre and Wufei opened and shut silently, allowing the short Chinese man entry.  
Wufei noticed Quatre sitting in the window sill, staring out at the night sky, worry and concern creasing his normally handsome face, "Quatre?"  
Startled from his thoughts, Quatre turned to his partner, "I'm sorry, 'Fei, I didn't hear you come in."  
Coming up behind Quatre, Wufei gently put his hands around the smaller man's waist and pulled him close, "You didn't come back down to the party. I missed you."  
Quatre leaned appreciatively against Wufei, "I stayed with Ania a bit longer than I expected. I'm sorry, I didn't feel much like partying after that."  
"No worries, Quat." Soft lips touched Quatre's cheek, "I'm going to bed now. You coming?"  
Quatre nodded to the Chinese man and Wufei disappeared into the bathroom. The sound of an electric toothbrush and running water filled the room as Quatre discarded all his clothes save his boxer shorts. He, however, did not move from the window. The bathroom light went off and Wufei re-entered the bedroom dressed only in plaid pajama pants, his chest and feet bare.  
Opening up the bed, Wufei stared at Quatre realizing that something plagued the Arabian's thoughts, "Quat, is something wrong?"  
"No" Quatre shrugged and turned away from the window, flopping down on the bed, "YesI don't know."  
Turning Quatre around so that he faced away, Wufei placed gentle hands on the pale skin of Quatre's bare back and began to gently knead the tension away. "What is it, Little One? You've been distressed since the episode downstairs."  
"I'm worried about my sister."  
"Is that all?" Wufei asked, "Though if you don't wish to tell me, that's"  
"She's keeping secrets from Trowa." Quatre stated before Wufei could finish his sentence. "And she told me what that secret was."  
"Can you tell me?"  
Quatre shrugged, "Probably not, but I'm going to tell you anyway."  
A beam of stray moonlight fell across Quatre's blonde hair and face highlighting a tear streaking down his cheek. The Sandrock pilot quickly brushed it away, not wanting Wufei to see his weakness. "Ania's pregnant."  
"What?" Wufei's hands fell away from their position on Quatre's back as he stared at the man sitting in front of him, "And she's keeping this information from Trowa?"  
"Right now, I'm torn between my sister and my best friend. Keep the secret and let Trowa find out on his own or call him up right now and explain the whole mess." Quatre turned around and faced Wufei, "But really, it won't be a secret for much longer. Sally's asked them to come in tomorrow."  
Wufei nodded in agreement, "He's going to realize that Ania knows when Sally brings it up tomorrow. If there's one thing that women can't do, it's hide their guilt. But, why'd she collapse tonight?"  
"Morning sickness. She hasn't been eating because she feels queasy afterwards. That's certainly not going to do her or the baby much good and I'm glad she's seeing Sally. But there's more, 'Fei."  
"What's that?"  
"She's under the belief that Trowa's going to leave her when he finds out."  
The Chinese man sat back against his pillows and pondered this for a moment, "What do you think?"  
"I think she's wrong." Quatre moved in close and snuggled up to the man next to him in the bed. "She's not giving Trowa enough credit. I told her that I know him better than that."  
Throwing his arm around the smaller blonde man, Wufei said, "He won't be happy at this secret being kept from him, but there is one thing"  
"What's that?"  
"It's probably best if we do not get involved. Whatever happens, it is between them and we should not get between that."  
Quatre shot up, staring at Wufei, "But, 'Fei, she's my sister!"  
Two brown fingers pressed themselves against Quatre's soft pink lips, silencing him, "No, Little One, your sister needs to fight some battles on her own. Just be there when she needs you, okay?"  
Quatre settled back into the crook of the arm encircling him, "Your wise council relaxes my heart again, Dragon. I am lucky to have you."  
"We are lucky, Quatre."

*****

"Ania? What are you doing?"  
Hiding her hands behind her back, she looked innocently at Trowa in the chair next to her, "Nothing."  
"You're fidgeting."  
"No, I'm not."  
Trowa took one of her hands and held it firmly in his own. "Yes, you are, I know you better than that, Angel. What are you so nervous about?"  
"I'm not nervous, Trowa, really, I'm not."  
Sally entered the room before the pilot could say anything further. She looked much like the doctor she was, wearing street clothes underneath her medical jacket, instead of a purple ball gown, her auburn hair tied up into a ponytail. She sat down behind the desk and faced the couple. "Well, thanks for coming in and seeing me. I got the results of the tests we did on Ania this morning. Nothing major, just a standard check-up. I'm sure she's already told you, Trowa?"  
Trowa nodded. "Did you find anything wrong with her?"  
"No, there's nothing wrong aside from the fact that I think she needs to eat more. I did find one other thing, though," Sally paused, staring at the girl, "Ania, did you know that you're pregnant?"  
"I'm what?" Ania feigned surprise as the news she already knew came to light, but as soon as those words escaped her mouth, Trowa Barton fainted.   
Ania twisted around in her chair. "Oh my god, Trowa!"  
Sally came around from behind her desk, chuckling, "Are you two always like this?"  
"I didn't know that he was going to take the news like this?" Ania said, fear creasing her face, "I guess I hoped he'd be happy?"  
Well, this isn't the first a father has fainted in my office, Heero Yuy did the same thing." Sally gently patted Trowa's face, just as she had done to Ania the night before, urging him to come to. "Come on, Trowa, wake up."  
Trowa's head lolled forward as he came to, "Ugh, I feel like a very large stone has just been dropped onto my head."  
Sally smiled, returning to her chair, "In a way, Tro, that's exactly what happened."  
Looking from one woman to the other, a puzzled look crossed Trowa's face, "Are you sure the test is correct, Sally, I mean we've been so careful."  
Ania shook her head, "Not careful enough, obviously. I've suspected it for sometime as well."  
"Our tests are 100% accurate, too." Sally said.  
"If you suspected it, how come you didn't tell me, Angel? Why did we have to get the big scare last night in order for me to find out what you already knew?" Trowa said, his voice thundering with tightly controlled anger.  
"I didn't know how you'd take the news, Trowa." Ania looked at the floor, unsure what to say further.  
"Do you know how far along she is?" Trowa asked Sally, his expression turning from shock and anger to concern.  
"Judging by only the questions I asked, I'd say about 10 to 12 weeks along." Sally said, "My recommendations now are to make another appointment for a week from today and we can check up on the baby and you better start eating properly and drinking lots of water and getting some rest. I'd also recommend delaying any flights back to the colonies, if you can manage it. The flights, in her current weakened state, won't do any good for her. Once she's back up to her normal strength, she'll be able to travel home before the baby is born."  
Trowa nodded, "Yeah, all those things can be arranged. Cathie will just have to deal with me not being around for a while."  
Ania looked at her partner, horrified and shocked at his sudden change of heart, "But, Tro, it's your work?"  
"Angel, I have more important things to worry about now. Cathie's taken care of things before and she can do it again." He finally smiled at her, "I'm not going to lose you to anything. If this is what Sally says you need, then that's what you're going to get."  
The three of them stood up and Sally walked them to the door, "I'll see both of you next week. Until then, take it easy, Ania."  
"I promise, Sally, I will."  
Sally closed the door to her office, leaving the young couple alone. Trowa turned to Ania, "You told me last night that you were keeping no secrets from me, Honey, and I can't say that I'm happy that you kept something like this, of all things, to yourself, but I'm both overjoyed and scared that this is happening to us."  
"Our baby will be the same age as Duo and Hilde's baby." Ania whispered.  
Trowa pulled her into a tight hug, "That's a scary thought."  
"You're okay with it, Trowa? Withthis?"  
"How can I not be, Angel. It's you I want and I guess our baby comes along with that. How about we get on home and give our news to the others and see about arranging some further quality time with the Yuys and the Peacecrafts."

*****

Relena and Hilde met the couple on the steps as the limo pulled up, both of them dressed warmly against the winter cold.  
Hilde opened the door to the car and helped Ania out, "How are you, Ania, we've been worried sick all day."  
"I'm fine, Hilde, really. Trowa and I just got some unexpected news and it explains the reason why I've been feeling so down lately." Ania said, going up the stairs supported by Hilde on one side and Trowa on the other.  
Relena's eyes perked up, "What news?"  
"Let's get inside and I'll tell you."  
The four of them shrugged off their heavy winter jackets as soon as they got inside. Ania took the first empty seat and sat down, glad to be off her feet and resting. "Go find the others, Tro, we should just say it once and get it over with."  
Ten minutes later, the small crowd, consisting of five former Gundam pilots and three girls, gathered in the main library of the Peacecraft manor to hear the news.  
"I just want to thank everybody for their support and concern yesterday." Ania began, holding tightly onto Trowa's hand. "I apologize for everybody having to worry about me yesterday and it was appreciated regardless. Trowa and I have been to see Sally today and we found out today that we are expecting baby around the same time as Hilde and Duo are."  
Hilde did her world famous shriek, jumping up and rushing over to Ania to throw her arms around her, "Oh, Ania, what a wonderful surprise. To think, we're going to be mothers-to-be together! I'm so happy for you!"  
Following Hilde, there were a number of other congratulations from their closest friends, however, none looked happier than Quatre, his clear blue eyes shining with love and excitement for his sister. His eyes held one other emotion, relief that the news was out and there were no more secrets. Relena and Heero were more than happy to accommodate Ania and Trowa for as long as necessary, happiness flooding Ania's heart that she'd be closer to her brother as well.  
"Quatre, you haven't said anything since Trowa and I got home." Ania said, a bit later as he and Trowa walked with her up to their rooms.  
"What's there for me to say that hasn't been said already, Ania." Quatre said, smiling at her. "You've known how I felt about this since that first day you and Trowa met. How could I feel any different knowing that you're so happy?"  
"You mean the world to us, Quatre, you know that don't you?" Trowa asked him.  
"Of course, I do, Tro." Quatre opened the bedroom door for them, before dashing off to work. "I'll come visit you when I can, Ania, look after yourself."  
Ania flopped down on the bed, "I'm tired, Tro, and I've got a headache. This was far too much excitement for me today. Me and the little one need to sleep."  
Trowa smiled, "Alright, I'm going to go and make arrangements with Cathie so she knows that I'm not going to back for a while. Just rest and I'll come get you when it's time for dinner."  
"Okay, and Trowa?"  
"Yeah."  
"I love you."  
"I love you too, Angel, sleep well."

*****

In Heero's study, Trowa leaned back in his chair, the vidphone in front of him beeping as he waited for the call to connect.  
The face of a woman with dark brown hair and green eyes much like Trowa appeared on the screen. "Catherine Bloom."  
"Cathie, it's me, Trowa."  
Her face brightened at the sight of her brother on the screen, "Oh Trowa, how wonderful to speak with you. Did you have a nice Christmas?"  
Trowa nodded, "Yes and no, the party was brilliant as usual, however, Ania got sick and passed out and we had to leave early."  
"Oh my god!" Catherine exclaimed, "Is she alright now?"  
"She's tired and not feeling well, but we've been to see the doctor today." Trowa paused, "Cathie, I've got something to tell you, though you probably won't be very happy to hear it."  
Catherine became alarmed at the grave tone in her brother's voice, "What is it, Trowa, what's wrong?"  
"We found out this morning that Ania is pregnant. That's why she's so weak. She hasn't been eating thinking it's the stomach flu." Trowa realized that he stretched the truth a bit, but there were some things that Catherine didn't need to know about. "Sally's asked us not to travel until Ania gets her strength up and then we can return and the baby can be delivered at home."  
Catherine was silent while she pondered Trowa's words, "You know, Trowa, this is going to ruin our whole holiday season show. I was counting on you coming back for the premier"  
"Oh, Cathie, Stop it!" Trowa snapped, sitting forward in his chair and staring at the vidphone screen. "I've always been around for your premiers and your holiday shows, but this once I'm asking you to let me off because I find Ania's health a lot more important than the show. When I was piloting full time, you let me off then, you can do the same now."  
She sighed, "Can't you come back for the premier and Ania can stay with Relena?"  
"With Ania being both sick and pregnant, I'm staying here." Trowa frowned, "Stop treating me like I'm some child, Cathie, I grew up a long time ago. You're my sister, not my mother."  
"Alright, fine, stay then, Trowa. Call me before you do actually decide to come home." She disconnected the line and his vidphone screen went blank.  
Trowa ran his hands through his hair and leaned back. "Well, there are certainly better ways to do that." He said to himself before heading for the door and down the hallway where he could smell food wafting up from the kitchen below.

*****

A week later, Wufei and Trowa stood on the steps of the Peacecraft manor, wishing Duo and Hilde a fond goodbye. It was time for their return to the colonies and their home and business on L2.  
Wufei looked around, "Where's everybody else?"  
Trowa answered, "Quatre and Heero are working and Ania's sleeping. I don't know where Relena is."  
"Don't worry about it, Tro." Duo smiled at him. "We said all of our good byes last night."  
Hilde, in turn, hugged each of the two pilots, lingering on Trowa, she whispered, "You call us if you have any news on Ania's condition, okay. We're all very worried about her. I wish we could have stuck around longer."  
"Don't worry about it, Hilde. If there's news, I promise, I'll call, but she's been fine and getting stronger day by day." Trowa replied, wondering himself if his words were true and knowing somewhere in his heart that they weren't.  
"Take care of yourself, Duo." Wufei said, shaking the braided pilots hand. "Don't let visits go so long this time."  
"We'll try not to, Wu-man."  
With one last wave, the couple got into the car and it sped away on it's journey to the transport center.  
"Another holiday gone, eh, Trowa?" Wufei asked, staring into the distance at the disappearing car.  
"Yeah, 'Fei, another one gone."  
The two pilots stood on the steps together in silence. Silence that could almost be cut with a knife.  
"Quatre's really worried about his sister." Wufei finally spoke what troubled his mind since seeing Trowa that morning. "She hasn't gotten out of bed since the party. Have you been to see Sally again yet?"  
Trowa nodded, "Yeah, yesterday, Sally said everything's fine. We got our first ultrasound pictures of the baby and it's healthy too. But Ania's been complaining of headaches and such so Sally put her on some mild medication."  
"Headaches?"  
"Yeah, Ania says she's had them for the last 3 months. It's probably something related to the pregnancy. I hope Sally's medication does the trick, but still I don't know what else to do."  
"Probably not much you can do, Tro." Wufei turned back to go into the house. "Come on back in. It's cold out here."  
Trowa followed Wufei up the steps and back into the house, "I know that you're right, Wufei, but I still can't help but worry about her. She's gone from my beautiful bright Angel to very pale and withered and just plain sick. I'm going upstairs to look in on her."  
"Tro, if there's anything you need, please"  
"I know, Wufei. Thanks." Trowa left the Chinese pilot behind and climbed the stairs to the second floor and the bedrooms they occupied.  
He opened the door to their room as softly as he could so as not to disturb her if Ania was sleeping. She did not move when he entered. Sitting on the edge of her side of the bed, he ran his hands through her tousled hair, worry creasing his rugged face.  
Ania's eyes fluttered open and she looked at him, "Trowa?"  
"Hi, Angel, how are you feeling?"  
"Tired, Tro, and that headache is still there." She said, her sleepy eyes fighting to stay open.  
He bent over and placed a kiss on her forehead, "Then rest, Angel, I'll come in and check on you after I get back from helping Heero and Quatre."  
"What are you guys doing?"  
He shrugged, "Just some maintenance work on the grounds. They needed some extra hands."  
"Is somebody going to be around in case I need them." Her face contorted with mild fear.  
"Yes, Honey, Pagan is just downstairs in the kitchen. He knows where to find me or Relena if you need anything." He gave her a gentle smile, "Love you, Angel."  
Settling back into her blankets, she returned the smile, "Love you, too, Trowa."  
Trowa silently padded out of the room and sighed as he closed the door.

*****

Four months later, Ania had gotten a little better. The medication Sally gave her took their effect and the headaches only bothered her when they were strong. Trowa worried less but Catherine, angry at Trowa's apparent long term absence, was taking it less than well.  
"Trowa, don't you get it? We need you here! You have been gone four months and I didn't think that it would take this long for Ania to get stronger."  
Trowa shook his head, "Then, Cathie, I hope that you never get sick and that nobody ever has to take care of you. We're going to see the doctor in a week as Ania had some tests done yesterday, we'll find out what's wrong then and I'll let you know when I'll be coming home."  
Catherine's face softened, "I'm concerned for her too, Trowa, but I do have the circus to think about, and your replacement just doesn't do you justice."  
"I know, Cat, but there's nothing I can do about that right now. When I know, you'll know, so just sit tight okay?"  
"Okay, Trowa." She said, "Take care of yourself."  
"I will, Cathie, See ya." Trowa switched off the vidphone and the connection to Catherine.  
"Trowa?" He spun around to find Ania standing in the door of Heero's office where the vidphone was located.  
"Hi, Angel, what's up?"  
"You can go home, you know. You don't have to stay with me."  
He held out his arms to her and she went to him, settling comfortably in his lap, Trowa's arms wrapping around her protruding pregnant belly. "Angel, I don't want to go. I want to stay with you."  
Ania shook her head, vehemently disagreeing with him, "But I heard what she said, Trowa, Cathie wants you back at the circus."  
"It's not what Cathie wants that is important to me, Ania. It's what I want and you are more important to me than the circus. So guess what, you're stuck with me!"  
She grinned and snuggled in closer to him, "You're the best, Trowa Barton."  
"I try, Ania."  
She touched her belly, "Can we talk about names for the baby? We haven't talked about that yet. We only have two and a half months to go before before this little one decides to show it's face."  
"What did you have in mind?"  
"My sister's name was Iria, you know, the one who died in the After Colony Wars." Ania said cautiously, unaware of what Trowa's reaction might be.  
"It's a nice name, Angel. I was thinking of Grace, if it's a girl, of course, but we both know that it's going to be a boy, so then we'll call him Martin or Brand or Isaac."  
Ania pondered this. "Brand? I like that name."  
"You do?"  
"Yes, I do, but since it's going to be a girl, we'll call her Grace Iria Barton. How does that sound?"  
Trowa smiled, "I think it's nice, but we're having a boy, how about Brandon Isaac Barton."  
She held out her hand and he took it. They shook hands, sealing their parental agreement on the name of their child. "It's perfect, Trowa. Can I ask you one other thing?"  
"Sure, Angel, anything you want."  
Ania took a deep breath, "Have you had any thoughts about us possibly getting married, perhaps after the baby's born?"  
Trowa's emerald eye's twinkled and a small grin turned the corners of his mouth up, "Perhaps."  
"Is that all you have to say?"  
"Perhaps."  
"Trowa! Stop being so exasperating!"  
"Angel, ask me that question in a couple of days and then you'll have your answer." Trowa would give no further information.  
"Fine, be that way, you sneaky bugger!" Ania shoved herself off of Trowa's lap, "And now I really have to go to the bathroom and I think another headache is making itself known. I guess I'll lie down for a bit."  
Trowa followed Ania as they exited the office. They entered their own room where Ania disappeared into the bathroom.  
Trowa walked over to the curtains and opened them, also shoving open the window to let some of the cool winter air into the stuffy room. "Damn, Relena needs to turn down the heat sometimes. It's winter, not the ice age."  
Suddenly, he heard a scream and a crash come from the bathroom. He raced over and opened the bathroom door to find Ania sprawled out on the floor, unconscious.  
"Oh my god, Angel!" Leaving her lying there, he grabbed his mobile phone from the pocket of his jeans and dialed the number for the kitchen, "Pagan, it's Trowa, call an ambulance, Ania's just collapsed." 


	2. Endings and Beginnings

**Disclaimer: All Gundam Wing Characters and references belong to their respective owners. Story elements and original characters © Kathryn Summers. The poem What is Left to Come Out © Allan Fisher. No money was gained in the writing of this story. Medical advice given by the real Carol Shields (name used in story with permission). If it's wrong, blame her.**

Dedicated to Allan whose poetry was my inspiration and to Carol who's vast medical knowledge was the only reason I finished it.

_Limited Time_

_Chapter 2- Endings and Beginnings_

"Trowa?" Relena Peacecraft-Yuy, holding five month old Thomas Yuy, brutally thrust open the door, "I heard somebody scream, is everything o"  
Relena didn't get the chance to finish her sentence. She stopped short to see ex-Gundam pilot Trowa Barton bent over the motionless, face-down, body of his beloved girlfriend, Ania Winner. "Trowa?"  
"Reshe's alive." Trowa turned his panic filled eyes to her, "But I can't make her wake up."  
"MEGAN!" Relena went back to the door, "MEGAN, GET UP HERE NOW!"  
Seconds passed, seconds that felt like minutes, then an elderly housekeeper came up the stairs at full speed, a look of fear covering her face, "What is it, Miss Relena, is something wrong?"  
Relena dumped Thomas in her arms, "We've had an accident. Thomas is your responsibility for the rest of the afternoon. I wouldn't ask you to do this if it wasn't important. I'll call you later to let you know when I'll be home."  
She pushed the housekeeper out of the room and turned back to Trowa, "Have you called an Ambulance, Trowa?"  
"I can't make her wake up, Relena. Why won't she wake up?"  
"Trowa, you have to pull yourself together." Relena put a hand on his shoulder and turned him towards her, "Have you called an Ambulance?"  
Trowa stared at her with wild green eyes, but they focused long enough to comprehend her question, "Yes. Yes, I called Pagan."  
"How long ago, Trowa?"  
"Fewa few minutes." Trowa's already rapid breathing increased, "Relena, the baby, what's happening to the baby?!?"  
"Trowa, she's alive, the baby is most likely okay. But we won't know until the paramedics get here, so please be calm, okay?" Relena looked up, "I hear the sirens, Trowa, I'm going downstairs. Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back with the paramedics."  
Trowa nodded and turned back to Ania. He could barely make out the rise and fall of her chest, and her heart beat slowly when he checked her pulse. He smoothed the satiny white/blonde hair away from her face. "Angel? Angel, wake up?"  
His hands shook as he slowly moved her so she lay on her side and not putting any pressure on the unborn baby.  
"Trowa?" Relena came through the door followed by two young paramedics, who carried a first response jump kit and a stretcher.  
"Are you her husband?" The first one asked, stepping over Trowa to get to Ania.  
Trowa shook his head, "No, I'm her boyfriend. Her brother's here too, but I don't know where he is right now."  
"How long has she been like this?"  
"Teten minutes?" Trowa grabbed the paramedic's arm, "Is she going to be okay? She's seven and a half months pregnant."  
"Step back, sir and we'll find out." The paramedic gently pulled his arm away from Trowa.  
Relena held out her hand and grabbed Trowa, pulling him reluctantly away from where Ania lay. Trowa clutched his friend's hand with fright unsure what to do or say.   
The second paramedic spoke, "What's her name?"  
Relena answered on behalf of Trowa, "Ania. Ania Winner."  
"Does she have any allergies."  
Confused and frightened, Trowa answered the other questions himself, as best he could, "Nono, not that I'm aware of."  
"What has she been doing today?"  
"Resting mostly, but she's been up to eat and watch tv and has gone outside once."  
"Has she been complaining of any pain?"  
"She's been treated for headaches for the last couple of months, she said she had one coming on just before she collapsed."  
"Who's her regular doctor and Obstetrician?"  
"Dr. Sally Po does both for her."  
The paramedic nodded at Trowa, non-verbally thanking him for the answers to the questions. The paramedics took Ania's vital signs and hooked up her to the oxygen. They carefully loaded her onto the stretcher and proceeded to take her out of the room.  
The first paramedic stopped in front of Trowa, "She's stable for now, but we're not sure what's wrong. We're going to take her to Cinq Memorial. Do you want to go with her?"  
"ReRelena, I should go get Quatre."  
"Trowa, I know where Quatre and Heero are, I'm going to get them right now. You go to the hospital with her. We'll be there soon." Relena ran over and picked up Trowa's mobile phone from where he left it on the floor and pressed it into his hand, "If you have any news between now and the next 20 minutes, call us."  
Trowa followed the paramedics out the door, while Relena went to make her phonecalls. 

***** 

Heero Yuy, dressed in a black suit with dark sunglasses covering his eyes, leaned against the door of the sleek black limo.  
When the wars ended, Milliardo Peacecraft took up his duty as a son of the Monarchy. He realized that this entailed a lot of meaningless meetings, speeches, and appearances and knowing Heero Yuy's background and persona, hired him as Head of Security. This gave Heero the opportunity to chose his own team, first asking three of the other four former Gundam pilots. Chang Wufei agreed immediately having no home to go back to. Duo Maxwell chose to stay on L3 and run his scrap metal business with his wife, Hilde and Trowa Barton's loyalties were with the circus and his sister, Catherine. Both refused Heero's offer. Heero then chose six other men of varying backgrounds who were also in the wars. That left Quatre Raberba Winner. Heero was reluctant asking his passive friend to join his security contingent due to Quatre's current financial stability and feelings on violence, but in end, asked Quatre to join him as security communications officer on a contractual basis, leaving the Arab free to take care of his family's business if necessary.  
Today, at one of those many day's of conferences Heero needed to be at, one of his men stood outside the door of the conference room in the Cinq Capitol building. The others were scattered around the grounds, while Heero waited at the car.  
His phone beeped and Heero reached down and grabbed it, putting the small blue machine to his ear, "Yuy."  
"Heero, it's Relena."  
"Relena, you know you're not supposed to call me at work." A hint of annoyance made it's way into Heero's reply.  
"I know that, Heero, but there's been an emergency."   
Warning bells went off in his head. "Is Thomas okay?"  
"Thomas is fine, Heero, it's Ania." Relena paused, he could hear her breathing hard, "She collapsed in her bathroom and has been taken to the hospital. Trowa's with her. I'm leaving as soon as I get off the phone, but I gotta get a message to Quatre. I promised Trowa."  
"I'll take care of it, Relena, go on to the hospital. I'll meet you there with Quatre." Heero clicked the off button on his phone without saying good bye, and then dialed the number for another phone.  
"Chang." Came the voice on the other end.  
"Wufei, it's Heero. Can you and the other's cover me for the rest of the afternoon?"  
"Yeah, no problem. What's up?" Wufei asked, wondering why Heero would need to leave in the middle of a job.  
"Relena just called. Ania's collapsed and has been taken to the hospital." Heero heard Wufei's quick intake of breath through the phone as he broke the news, "I need to go get Quatre and take him over to the hospital."  
"Are you sure you don't want me to do that?"  
Heero thought about this for a moment, clearly realizing the emotional attachment the two men had, but decided against letting Wufei go in his place "No, thanks for the offer though. I told Relena I'd do it. Just meet us there when you get off duty. I think this conference is due to end in an hour. You'll need to drive the limo home. Let the other's know that I'm taking off, too, will ya?" With further thought he added, "Just hurry, Quatre will need you there."  
"No problem, Heero. Take care."  
"See ya soon." Heero hit the button on his phone to end the call and began to jog towards his own car parked nearby.

*****

  
  
The car screeched to a halt in the reserved parking space underneath the Cinq Kingdom Security Building. Heero jumped out and sprinted his way up to the offices.  
An older woman with obviously dyed cherry red hair, sat at the front reception desk. She smiled when she saw Heero, "Hello, Mr. Yuy, you're back early."  
"Hi, Dawn. I've got Wufei covering for me as we've had an emergency at home." Heero said.  
Dawn's round motherly face filled with alarm, "Is Thomas alright?"   
"No, no, it's not Thomas." Heero glanced around the immaculate security offices. "Where's Quatre?"  
"Mr. Winner is in the lab working on his new communication system."  
"Thanks, Dawn." Heero pushed himself away from the reception desk and made his way down the hall to the lab. The glass door slid open, allowing the pilot entry, "Quatre, grab your coat. We need to go."  
Quatre looked up at Heero. He held a soldering gun in one hand and protective glasses covered his eyes. "What are you doing here, Heero, I'm in the middle of something, and I thought you were working."  
The Japanese man did not know how to break the news gently, tact not being one of his strong suits, so he just said it, "Quatre, your sister's collapsed and has been taken to the hospital."  
Quatre's head jerked up and he dropped the tool he held, "Ania?"

~ The breeze echoes through space ~

Ripping off the protective glasses, Quatre grabbed his jacket and followed Heero out the door to the waiting car.

*****

Relena and Trowa looked up to the see the two men walking swiftly towards them, in the otherwise deserted hospital waiting room. Relena went to Heero and he hugged her tightly, fear covering both their faces.  
Green crashed with Aquamarine as Quatre and Trowa stared at each other, neither one sure what to say. Quatre's face was filled with sorrow and fear while Trowa's was blank except for his frightened eyes.  
Quatre broke the silence and finally spoke, "Trowa, what happened?"  
Trowa put his hands up and rubbed his face, moving from his position against the wall, "I don't know, Quatre, one minute she was with me, then she went into the bathroom and screamed andOh,god, Quatre, I don't know what's wrong with her!"  
The Arab, sobs shuddering through his body, took this moment to go to his best friend and embrace him. Trowa just stood there and held him, body and face stoic and silent.  
After a few moments, Quatre pulled himself together and moved away from Trowa. He looked forlornly at Relena, "Is there any news?"  
Relena shook her head, "No, they took Ania into emergency about 20 minutes ago and nobody's come out yet."

~ Things just seems to pass by ~

Quatre sighed heavily and flopped down into a chair next to Relena.  
"Does anybody want some coffee?" The three other's looked at Heero.  
"Yeah," Quatre turned to Trowa, who had resumed his post of standing against the wall, "Trowa?"  
Trowa stared at the blonde man, as if trying to comprehend the question, but finally nodded yes. Relena also nodded yes for the coffee and Heero left with a gentle, "Hn."  
Another ten minutes passed and then finally the doors to emergency opened and an ashen faced Sally Po entered the small waiting room.  
Quatre jumped to his feet, "Sally!?!"  
Sally gave the three young people a small, sad, smile. "Hi, Quatre, Trowa, Relena. I'm afraid I don't have much news. She's unconscious still, but the baby is fine."  
A sigh of relief echoed through the room.  
"We have suspicions on what it might be," Sally continued, "But it's not good. I don't want to say much more than that until we know for sure. We have more tests to do as soon as the specialist gets here."  
Trowa let out the breath he held and ran his hand over his face, "Please, Sally, can you at least tell us what you think is wrong?"  
She looked from Trowa to Quatre and then back to Trowa, her sense of friendship for them taking over the part of her that was the professional doctor, "I don't want to cause undo worry, but you're my friends. Trowa, we think she has a brain tumor, but again we won't know for sure until the specialist arrives."  
Quatre, always the emotional one, broke down again, his feigned strength finally breaking free of it's bonds, the tears flowing freely.  
"Will she wake up?" Trowa remained stoic, seemingly unaffected by Sally's news.  
"I don't know, Trowa." Sally shook her head. "Please wait here a bit longer. I'll be back with the specialist as soon as we can."  
Sally disappeared through the emergency room doors, just as Heero and and the newly arrived, Wufei entered carrying covered styrofoam cups of coffee. Wufei, on seeing Quatre's grief-stricken, tear-streaked face, passed his lot to Relena and knelt down in front of the emotional Arab.  
"Quatre, Little One, I'm here." Wufei whispered. Quatre looked up to see his lover's gentle face and threw his arms around the Chinese man's thin frame, burying his head in the crook of a shoulder.

~ Make your way through it all ~

Heero turned questioning eyes at Relena and Trowa, "What did Sally say?"  
Relena waited for Trowa to speak, but he did not move, so ventured the explanation herself, "She's stable and the baby's okay, but they don't know for sure what's wrong. Sally says it might be a brain tumor."  
Heero looked shocked as Relena broke her news and Wufei quietly winced where he sat with Quatre.  
Picking up one of the nearly forgotten cups of coffee, Relena got up and went to Trowa, "Here, drink this."  
With a silent thank you, Trowa accepted the drink from her and moved off to stare out the nearest window. Relena moved to follow but Wufei grunted, causing her to turn around.  
"No." Wufei, shook his head, still holding tightly on to Quatre. "Let him be, Relena. Trowa is doing what he needs to do."  
Heero took Relena's hand and led her back to the chairs, where they both sat down to wait.

*****

Two hours passed before Sally finally emerged through the doors of the emergency ward followed by a pretty young doctor. The new doctor wore street clothes underneath her white medical jacket. On her face were thing-rimmed spectacles and her hair was tied up in a similar fashion to Sally's, a tight high ponytail held in place by a green bobble.  
The grim face of the former OZ medical officer, spoke like the pages of a book, "Hi, guys. I'd like to introduce you to Dr. Carol Shields. She our specialist in Neurosurgery who's been looking after Ania since her arrival this afternoon."  
Dr. Shields nodded respectfully at the group of young people, "Which one of you is her boyfriend?"  
Trowa looked up and moved forward from his place at the window. "I am."  
"Can you please come with us?" The doctor asked gently.  
For a brief moment, Trowa looked confused, "Yeah, I guess so."  
The tall man followed the two doctors, looking regretfully back at his companions. Quatre lay quietly sleeping, his head resting in Wufei's lap. Heero and Relena sat together reading the newspaper. Relena gave Trowa a weak smile of encouragement.  
They entered a smaller waiting room, but with more comfortable blue chairs. Sally offered him a chance to sit but Trowa refused choosing to take up his normal position of leaning against the wall.  
"Trowa" Sally began, "We don't have very good news I'm afraid."  
Trowa stared at them, eyes flicking from one doctor to the other. "What's wrong with her? When is she going to wake up?"  
Sally thought about attempting to explain the situation to the young pilot, but declined, "Dr. Shields is probably better suited to explain this to you, Trowa."  
The other doctor took her cue, "Mr. Barton, we are pretty much certain now that Ania has a very serious brain tumor. We are unable to do any CT scans at this moment due to the baby, but her signs, symptoms, and blood tests show evidence of a malignant cancerous tumor in the brain."  
Trowa clenched his hands into fists, trying to stop the violent shaking in his body, "Is she going to wake up?"  
Dr. Shields shook her head, "No, probably not. The tumor is pressing on a major blood vessel in her brain, which caused her initial loss of conscienceness. Her brain isn't getting enough oxygen."  
Sally broke in, "We're going to wait a week before attempting to deliver the baby as it's still a little small from Ania's recent weak health. We want to give it as much of a chance at life as possible."  
"Once the baby is delivered, can anything be done for Ania?" Trowa asked.  
"We can do the CT scans to tell us the extent of the tumor and operate to release the pressure on the artery," Dr. Shields replied, "But none of this is without risks. If the tumor is growing too fast, she may die in the next week or we may not be able to operate depending on where the tumor is."  
"Trowa, it's probably best if you put your affairs in order in the event that she dies." Sally cast her eyes to the floor, trying to conceal her obvious sadness, "There isn't anything more we can do now until the baby is born."  
For a few moments, Trowa did his best to digest the information given to him, but finally spoke, "Can I see her?"  
The two doctors nodded and Sally said, "You may want to relay the information to your friends first."  
Remembering Quatre, Trowa sighed, "Yes, I suppose."

*****

Heero pressed his carkeys into Wufei's hand, "Take him home, 'Fei. Quatre needs some rest. He's too emotional to be here tonight."  
Wufei turned around and looked at his partner. Quatre sat in a chair next to Ania's bed, clutching her tube laden hand, his tears dripping onto the white bedsheets.  
Kneeling down, Wufei spoke with a gentle voice, "Quatre, let's go home. You need some rest."  
"I don't want to leave her, Wufei, I don't want to go home." Quatre sobbed. 

~ Shooting stars of the furious ~

Wufei took his hand and helped him up, leading the sobbing man out of the room.  
Heero looked at Relena, "Go with them, I'll catch a cab home in the little bit."  
Relena nodded and the two of them embraced, then the girl disappeared out the door.  
Heero finally turned to Trowa. The stoic pilot sat in a chair staring at his beloved angel. "Trowa, I"  
"Heero, I've never had to do this before." Trowa's bold, blatant words startled the Japanese man. "I'm scared of becoming a father, but I am terrified of having to do it without her."

~ Shivers of the dead are no use ~

Still no tears fell from his green eyes. Heero wondered if Trowa had recovered any sense of his emotions since the wars ended. He did not know what to say so he contented hemself to laying a gentle hand on Trowa's shoulder.  
Trowa looked at his friend and their gazes locked for a few seconds, some unspoken words passing between their eyes that only they knew the translation of.  
"Heero, I can't seem to find the tears to cry." Trowa said, speaking softly, so much so that Heero had to lean closer to hear. "I can laugh. I can be angry. I can feel sadness but I just cannot cry."  
Heero thought about these words for a moment, "I was like that too for a long time, Trowa, until the first of the two happiest moments in my life happened, the day I married Relena. I realized in the hours coming up to the ceremony that the perfect soldier had gone and I cried, on Duo's shoulder no less, but I cried and cried. And I think now that it was the beginning of the rest of my life."  
"I envy Quatre, Heero. He never gave up what we're having trouble finding again."  
Heero chose his next words carefully, "It's okay to cry, Tro. None of us will think any less of you."  
Trowa stared at his Angel's still form, the beeps and hisses coming from the various tubes and machines connected to her meaning little to him.  
"Angel, I" Trowa felt the soft reassuring squeeze on his shoulder and continued, "Angel, I'm scared, scared of what will happen if you die. I don't want to raise our child without you at my side. Come back to me, Angel, please come back to me."  
At this very moment the damn behind the emerald eyes broke as Trowa realized the possible extent of his loss. He lay his cheek against her pale hand and sobbed.  
Heero never moved from his position behind Trowa and neither of them spoke of day that Trowa found his tears ever again.

***** 

  
  
Relena knocked softly on the door and a quiet, "enter" allowed her access. She opened the door to Quatre and Wufei's room to find Wufei sitting on the bed running his fingers through the hair of his lover's sleeping body.  
Relena went to the bed, "Is he okay?"  
Wufei shook his head, "No, he's hysterical. I had to give him a mild sedative to get him to sleep."  
"His only baby sister." Relena sighed. "Poor thing. I'm going to call Hilde and Catherine now. Care to join me?"  
"No, I'm going to stay with him for a while." Wufei said.  
"Alright." Relena turned to go, "There's food downstairs in the kitchen if you or Quatre want something."  
"Okay, thanks."  
Relena softly closed the door to the room and padded quietly down the hall to Heero's office. She sat down in the plush chair behind the huge oak desk and dialed the number for Duo and Hilde's vidphone.  
The machine connected and Hilde's lean face filled the screen, "Hilde Maxwell speakingOh, hi, Relena, how are you. You look like death warmed over."  
"Hilde, where's Duo?" Relena asked her friend, "I've got some news that both of you should hear."  
Hilde turned around, "DUO! It's Relena! She needs to speak to both of us."  
Duo came into view of the screen and Relena quickly relayed the story of Ania's collapse and apparent brain tumor.  
"Hot Damn." Duo breathed out after Relena finished speaking. "How's everybody else?"  
"Heero and Trowa are still at the hospital. Quatre's absolutely histerical and has been sedated. Wufei's with him. I'm just trying to hold the household together." Tears filled Relena's eyes. "I'm at a loss of what to do."  
Hilde stared into Relena's sad sunken eyes through the vidphone screen with deep concern, "Do you want us to come back to earth, 'Lena, to help out?"  
"Oh, Hilde, I can't ask you to do that, not with your baby's due date so close." Relena cried out.  
"Relena, the baby isn't due for two months. Don't worry about me." Hilde said, "Take care of yourself, 'Lena. Give our love to the others and we'll be there soon."  
Hilde cut the connection before Relena could protest further. Sighing in defeat, she pulled out Catherine's number and began to dial, preparing herself to relay the story one last time, this time on behalf of Trowa.

*****

Duo ran his hand through his tousled hair, letting it rest lightly on the top of his braid, wondering if he should take it out and relax his scalp for a change.  
Hilde, in her satin nightgown, stepped outside onto the deserted balcony of their colony apartment with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate and handed one to Duo. She smiled at him as she sat down in the chair next to him. "Duo, you've been rather quiet tonight. Are you okay?"  
Duo pulled the elastic band out of his hair and threaded his wrist through it so he would not lose it, "Just thinking, babe, that's all."  
"Here, let me do that." Hilde said, taking the braid from Duo and with nimble fingers, began to undo the knots that had worked themselves into the dark brown hair, "A penny for your thoughts?"  
"I've been thinking about how different our lives were two years ago." A far away look came into Duo's eyes, "Only two short years ago. Did you ever think, Hilde, that this is where we'd be?"  
"Do you regret any of it?"  
"Not one moment, Hilde, not one moment of my life do I ever regret."  
Hilde thought about her husband's words as her fingers worked at the hair of the man she loved, "Duo, I'm sorry"  
"For what, Hilde?"  
"For springing the news of the baby on you like that, at the Christmas ball."  
Duo turned around and stared at Hilde with complete shock, "Hilde, when we stopped with the birth control we knew the consequences. I admit I didn't expect it so soon, but how can I not be proud when the wife that I love is carrying my child."  
Hilde smiled, "Oh, Duo."  
"Hilde? Is everything okay with you?"  
"I'm fine, just really worried about Ania and Trowa." Duo opened his arms to her, and Hilde crawled into his lap, pregnant belly and all, "It's so unfair that it should happen to them."  
"We're all worried about them, Babe," The American sighed into his wife's hair. "We'll be there in a couple days and help them out as best we can. You sure you're okay to travel?"  
"I'd rather have our baby on earth, surrounded by our friends anyways."  
"I'll make the arrangements tomorrow."

*****

Two days later, Duo and Hilde arrived into the Cinq Kingdom. Relena met the couple when their transport landed and then back at the mansion, showed them to their normal room.  
Duo took his chances and asked the question that preyed on both his and his wife's minds, "Well, we haven't heard any information since that initial phone call. How is everybody?"  
Relena turned her haggard eyes toward him, "Ania's condition has not changed. Everybody else is better, but tired. We're all pretty touchy and anxious, and each day is like a time bomb waiting to go off."  
Hilde frowned, "That bad, huh?"  
"You'll see for yourself soon enough." Relena stepped out of the room, "Dinner's ready when you are."  
In ten minutes, they were downstairs, greeting their friends with tears and hugs. Each face told a different story.  
Heero and Wufei simply looked tired. Their unending support of their partners gave them very little energy to spare.  
Relena tried very hard to hold them all together as a family, shuffling people to and from the hospital, having rooms cleaned and making sure everybody ate. She did all of this in addition to her full time life of being a mother to Thomas.  
Quatre and Trowa were mirror images of each other. Both were tired and disheveled, faces blotchy and creased with worry. But as long as Ania's heart beat, a faint glimmer of hope still shined in their eyes, buried deep within the pain and fear.

~ What is left of blood and death ~

The meal didn't last long, the seven of them merely picking at their food. Nobody spoke more than a few words each and the uncomfortable silence finally drove them all away from the table.  
As Pagan entered to clear the table, Trowa spoke his first words of the evening, "I'm going back to hospital. I'll call if there is any news."  
Hilde placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Trowa, when was the last time you had any sleep?"  
Trowa couldn't hide his obviously sleepy eyes, "I don't know Hilde, two days ago maybe?"  
She smiled, "Then let me go in your place and you get some sleep. I promise I'll call if there's any change."  
"Hilde, I"  
She silenced him with a shake of her head, "Trowa, you aren't going to be much good to her in the state that you're in."  
He sighed in resignation, "Thanks, Hilde."  
She held up her copy of Lord of the Rings, "It's a long book and a long night. Maybe she'll appreciate it more than I do."  
Trowa gave Hilde a thank you hug and then slowly retired up to his rooms while Hilde went in search of Duo.

*****

Trowa marked the days off the calender as each one passed, now marking six since the day Ania arrived at the hospital.  
The steady, monotonous tone of the heart monitor consoled him as though Ania's very life beat within that single sound. And for him, it did, with each beep, she still lived.  
In the other chair, on the opposite side of the bed, Quatre slept soundly, his normally pristine clothing rumpled and his hair messy and unwashed.  
Not much earlier, Trowa caught a cab to the hospital for his shift at the hospital and arrived to find Quatre sleeping. Wufei was to pick him up any time now, but Trowa felt content to let Quatre sleep until the Chinese man arrived.

~ It is always quite as calm ~

Arriving exactly on time, Wufei pushed open the door and smiled when his gaze fell upon his lover curled peacefully in his chair.  
"Hey, 'Fei". Trowa nodded at his friend.  
"Hi, Tro." Wufei pointed to Quatre, "How long has he been like that?"  
Trowa shook his head, "Who knows! He was like that when I got here. Poor thing's exhausted."  
"Well, I'm glad he's sleeping now. He's certainly not sleeping at night or when he's home in the afternoons."  
Trowa looked around, "What time is it now?"  
Glancing at his watch, Wufei said, "Just after five."  
"Oh, okay." Trowa settled back in his chair. "I said I'd call Cathie at six."  
The two men sat in silence for a few minutes, many thoughts crossing their troubled minds.  
"Trowa, I" Wufei began and then stopped and cleared his throat, "I'm sorry for not being much of a support for you this past week. I've had my hands full with just Quatre but I know that's not an excuse for not being there for you."  
"Wufei, there's no need to"  
Wufei interupted Trowa before the sentence could be finished. "There is another reason for that too, Trowa."  
Trowa waited for his friend to speak again, wondering if Wufei was finally going to speak of the one thing that he had never laid to rest.  
"I married once long ago, when I was very young. The marriage was arranged by our families and although I did not love her, I did care about her." Wufei paused to take a breath, "She died during the wars and it killed something inside me. In a way, I completely understand what you are going through and I am ashamed I have been so distant."  
"Wufei?"  
"Yes?"  
"Thank you." Trowa stared at his friend. "You've all been a tremedous help to both me and Quatre and I am grateful to you for that. You needn't have shared that with me but I am very honored that you did."  
A rosy blush hit Wufei's cheeks, "And I am honored to have you as a friend, Trowa.   
Another few moments of silence as each man digested the information brought out between them. Then Wufei spoke again, "I suppose I should waken the Little One and take him home."  
The sudden alarm from the machines connected to the body of Ania brought both of their heads up in fright. Quatre, brutally awakened from his peaceful slumber, looked around with wild eyes, fearful pools of aquamarine finally resting on the two other men in the room with him. "Whawhat's going on?"  
Wufei took no hesitation in rushing to his lover's side, "We're not sure, Quat, it just now happened."  
Trowa's eyes flicked from one monitor screen to the next trying to decipher the numbers and letters and squiggly lines across each screen. He only recognized one, the high pitched wail of the heart monitor and the flat line across it's screen.

~ Those sounds that can't be blocked ~

"Trowa?" Quatre pleaded again.  
The tall stoic pilot panicked, "Something's wrong!!"  
Two nurses and the shift doctor hurried into the room and began speaking in rapid short medical terms that none of the three men understood.  
"What's wrong with her?" Trowa asked any of the medical staff who was listened.  
"We need to get her up to emergency surgery or we're going to lose the baby." The doctor said to one of the nurses, "Call Dr. Shields and Dr. Po and get them in here immediately. Have them meet us up in surgery."  
Trowa raised his own voice above the din of those talking over him, "WHAT'S WRONG WITH HER?"  
"I'm sorry, gentlemen, you'll have to leave now as we are taking her up to emergency surgery." The taller of the two nurses pushed the three men out into the hall, where they watched helplessly as Ania was wheeled away from them into the unknown.

*****

"No, no, don't come in, Heero, we'll call as soon as we hear anything, but whatever happens I don't think it's good news." Wufei said into the payphone, sadness echoing in each of his words.  
"Are you absolutely sure?" Heero asked Wufei.  
"Yes, positive. Just please prepare yourself for the worst and let the others know too, will ya."  
Heero sighed into the phone, "I will. Take care, okay."  
"You, too. I'll talk to you later Heero. Bye." Wufei replaced the payphone onto it's cradle and turned around to join Trowa on the couch in the small waiting room near the intensive care unit, where a nurse put them until somebody came to give them some news.

~ Too relaxed in turmoil ~

"What did Heero say?" Trowa asked.  
"He wanted to come in and bring the others but I told him it wasn't necessary." Wufei explained, "So I'll call them as soon as I hear something, but I didn't want any unnecessary confusion right now."  
Trowa nodded. He looked tired and anxious, fear in his green eyes, though carefully keeping his other emotions in check, trying to be strong among his friends. Quatre, on the other hand, had not stopped crying since Ania had been wheeled away. He finally, as he always did, fell into an exhausted slumber on the couch opposite the two other men.  
Thirty minutes passed and Quatre woke up. Wufei briefly disappeared down to the cafeteria to get some coffe, the wait agonizing for all of them. Though the coffee did little good to calm their frazzled nerves.  
Ten minutes after Wufei came back with the coffee, the three men looked up to see Sally come into the hallway followed by Dr. Shields. Trowa could clearly read the fear in the younger doctor's face.   
Sally pushed open the door to the glassed in waiting room, staring at the floor, obviously unsure what to say. Dr. Shields just waited patiently for her cue, as it was not her place to tell the young men.

~ Hold them back as they come for me ~

Sally stared at Trowa, tears filling her blue eyes, "I'm so sorry, Tro, Ania didn't make it. She died about ten minutes ago. We did all we could, but she was too far gone for us to save her."  
"No, no, no, no, no, no," Quatre sobbed and rushed forward at the doctors, Wufei catching him as he went foward, "You're wrong, she can't be gone."  
As Wufei held Quatre, the blonde man just stood there for a moment unsure what to do before falling into his lover's arms and sobbing uncontrollably, Wufei holding him as tightly as he could.  
Trowa could only stare at the two doctors, his mind awash with fear and sadness, questions forming in his mind, "Whatwhat happened toto her?"  
Dr. Shields stepped forward, and in a gentle voice, said, "Mr. Barton, Ania had a massive brain tumor that pressed on a major artery in her brain. Her brain wasn't getting enough oxygen. On top of that, there was too much stress on the artery from the tumor and it caused an aneurysm. That is why she died so quickly. I'm very sorry for your loss and I wish there was more we could have done for her."  
Trowa couldn't hold his strength any longer and buried his face in his hands and cried, alone, as there wasn't anybody to hold him in his grief any longer.  
Dr. Shields whispered something to Sally and then exited the waiting room, leaving the friends together. Sally sat down and put her around around Trowa, her closeness giving him a little comfort.  
Soon, the tears slowed for him as he came to the first reality of his loss and stared at the doctor sitting beside him, "Theour babySally, what happened to our baby?"

*****

Trowa put his hands to the window of the Neonatal intensive care unit, staring at the small bundle opposite him, wrapped in the baby pink blanket, with the name "Winner" written on the card taped to the plexi-glass incubator. How beautiful she was, his little daughter, the small tuft of blonde hair covering the top of her head and when she opened her eyes, they were blue. He wondered if her eyes and hair would stay the color of her mother's or if she would look more like him as she got older. He blinked back another round of tears that wanted to fall, as for the second time, the reality of his situation threatened to overtake him. How much he wished Ania could have been here to share this moment with him, the moment of seeing his baby daughter for the first time.  
"Which one's yours?"  
The pilot looked over to see another young man standing next to him, smiling. Trowa pointed to his daughter, "That one."  
"She's very beautiful." The man said to him, "What's her name?"  
As the name left his lips, he knew that it fit her, just as Ania thought it did when they discussed so long ago now, "Grace."  
The man pointed to the blue bundle a couple of rows behind Grace, "That's my son, Joshua, healthy, but born six weeks early."  
Trowa gave the talkative man a weak smile, somehow wishing he could be alone and yet, thankful for the company of a strange person asking him questions, his daughter, Grace, becoming more real and the fear of taking the task on of being a father more and more scary without Ania to guide him.

~ Nothing can be taught ~

"How's your wife?"  
The question startled Trowa and he stumbled over his words, "She's deashe died this evening."  
"Hey, man, I'm sorry," The young man looked at him with truly sad eyes, "I shouldn't ask so many questions."  
"It's okay." Trowa said, those tears coming back.  
"You take it easy, okay?"  
"Okay."  
And the man left, leaving the pilot alone with his thoughts again. He turned his attention back to his daughter behind the wall of glass. She had not cried since his arrival into NICU, he hoped that she would be a good baby and that brought the first smile to his face. A hand tapped his shoulder and he turned to see a pretty nurse in a white uniform.  
"Is one of those babies yours?" She asked, smiling at him.  
"Yes." Trowa nodded to her, "The Winner baby."  
"Would you like to meet her?" The nurse asked, "She's healthy, though she'll be here for a little while for observation, but is going to be fine. She's a fighter that one."  
"II guess so, yes." Trowa felt his hands start to shake, "Thank you."  
"My name's Rebecca. I'm on night shift tonight, so if you need anything, just call me." Rebecca smiled at him, "Come with me and we'll get you settled with your daughter."  
Trowa followed her into the small neonatal unit where he could see his daughter a bit more closely amidst the tubes and machines.  
"You won't be able to hold her just yet, her lungs are too underdeveloped but give it a few days, she's strong and that's what matters." Rebecca smiled at him, motioning for Trowa to sit down in the chair next to his daughters incubator. "Does she have a name yet? I can write it on the card for you."  
Again, the name slipped from his lips with ease as he stared into his daughter's open blue eyes with love and wonder. "Grace. Grace Iria Barton."  
"Grace. What a pretty name." Rebecca pointed to a button next to the incubator, "If you need anything, push that button. I'll be feeding her in about an hour, you can help if you'd like, but for now I'll leave the two of you alone to get acquainted."

~ Just stay there and watch ~

"Thank you."  
He watched the nurse leave and then looked at his daughter, a single tear dropping from his eye and splashing onto the incubator cover. "Grace, I'm sorry that your mom won't be here to share this moment with us. She's only been gone two hours and I miss her so muchI miss her so much. I don't know how I'm going to survive without her."  
Trowa bowed his head and cried, his daughter looking on with baby eyes, too young to understand the tremendous loss.

*****

He looked up the endless set of stairs above him and putting one foot in front of the other ascended them with a heavy heart. Trowa placed his hand on the knob of the door he had come to know as his and Ania's room, the place they always stayed when they visited Heero and Relena.   
He had the funeral in three days and Catherine would be there standing next to him. Trowa would be surrounded by his friends and family and still he felt alone. He had some thinking to do now and some decisions to make.   
Turning the handle and opening the door he realized that he hadn't opened the curtains since the day that Ania went into the hospital. Walking over to the window, he opened them enough to let the light of the waxing moon into his room and then turned on his bedside lamp. Trowa rubbed his eyes and looked about the room, Ania's things laying everywhere his eyes stopped or perhaps he deliberately searched out those small things that reminded him of her. Over in the corner were stacked a number of cardboard boxes and some packing tape. He wouldn't sleep tonight unless he did it and so it began.

~ Lost in flight ~

Trowa put the boxes together, three of them for Ania's discarded no longer needed things, her clothing, shoes, make up, and the last box for those things of hers he wanted to keep for himself and for their daughter. He thought Hilde and Relena would love to have some of Ania's things to remind them of her, and would leave these boxes with Relena. He knew that he'd be doing this all over again when he got home anyways and there was no sense in dragging this stuff back with him. All the while he packed, tears dripped from his eyes, soaking into his blue t-shirt and the various articles of Ania's clothing.  
He sat down on the bed, clutching in his hand the purple satin nightgown she wore virtually every night, except in the later stages of her pregnancy when she could no longer fit into it. He smiled and put his face to the satin breathing in the faded scent of her jasmine perfume. Trowa looked around and saw the smaller box which he grabbed and put on the bed with him. In it, he put the nightgown and the small bottle of perfume he'd found in the bathroom.   
In the nightstand drawer Ania kept her photos and Trowa pulled them out and looked through them. The first was her favorite shot of the two of them at Duo and Hilde's wedding, both of them dressed up, drunk as a skunk, and looking so happy and alive. Then followed shots of them with their friends at various visits and special ocasions including one of the three girls the night that Trowa and Ania went on their first date. And then, of course, a number of poses of Ania and Quatre, some with Trowa himself in them.  
Trowa's head snapped upQuatre. How was Quatre? He vaguely remembered Quatre's outburst at the hospital when Sally had given them the news, but Wufei had taken Quatre home when Trowa left to see Grace in the NICU and he hadn't seen anybody since he arrived home so late. But like all strange coincedences, the knock on the door came at that very moment and Trowa said, "Come in."  
"Hi, Trowa." Quatre came in and closed the door behind him. He looked sad and beaten, his face red and blotchy from the hours of sobbing he'd done that day, and his pyjamas were rumpled.  
"Hi, Quat. Couldn't sleep?"  
Quatre nodded and sat down on the bed next to Trowa and for a series of moments, neither of them spoke, unsure what to say or do, the first time in the lives that they didn't know how to comfort each other.  
Trowa held out the photos to Quatre, "I found these in her drawer next to the bed. She carried them with her everywhere we went. She constantly felt that we never saw any of you enough."  
Taking the photos and flipping through them, a small sad smile crossed Quatre's face, "I remember when all these photos were taken, too. In fact, I think I took most of them, or at least the ones that I'm not in. She had this thing about wanting to catch every moment."  
"I'm glad she did."  
"So am I." Quatre looked at his best friend, "Trowa, Hilde and Heero took care of the funeral arrangements and Cathie will be here in two days."  
"What about your family, Quat?" Trowa asked.  
"I called my family and some of my other sisters wanted to be here but I told them not to bother, that it was just going to be a private service. I guess they didn't seem too cut up about it, we're not a particularly close family. My only two sisters now that I was close to have died." Quatre's lower lip trembled as his own words brought him closer to further tears.  
"It isn't fair, Quatre." Trowa said, quietly, not hiding the tears that still dripped freely from his emerald eyes. "I keep thinking about the wars and how many times the five of us cheated death and this one precious soul that meant so much to us and had so much to give, couldn't."

~ Loss in life ~

Trowa clutched the photos to his chest as a harsh sob erupted from somewhere deep inside him. Quatre reached out and pulled his best friend to him and for the first time in days, both of them were comforted by the brotherly love they shared and by the love of the one woman central to both their lives.  
After a bit Trowa pulled away and smiled at his friend, wiping the tears from his own face, "I don't know if you know this, but I got to see Grace."  
Quatre looked puzzled, "Grace?"  
"My daughter, QuatreGrace is my daughter." Trowa said, "You're an Uncle, Quatre."  
Tears filled the aquamarine eyes, this time tears of joy, "You mean, she's okay, I mean, it's a girl?"  
Trowa nodded, "She's fine, the nurse in the NICU called her fighter. She'll be there for a while yet, because she's so tiny, but she's alive and I'm so relieved for that. My angel lives on, but I'll still miss her so much."  
"Trowa, do you mind if I ask you something?" Quatre asked.  
"Of course."  
"Why did you always call her Angel? You have since the day that met her."  
Trowa smiled again, "The blue of her eyes, her hair that was like the color of white gold, the way she smiled, and the way she moved, she had the grace of an angel. It is a fitting name for her. I hope that our daughter inherited those traits from her mother, because I certainly don't have them."  
Quatre nodded at Trowa's words, "It's funny, I guess I took her for granted in a way that you didn't, because you are so right about her, I just never gave it much thought."  
"Quatre, I" Trowa stopped, and stuffed his hand in his pocket.  
"What is it, Tro?"  
He pulled a small black velvet box from his pocket and handed it to Quatre, "I picked it up yesterday. She asked me the day she collapsed when we would get married. I had already purchased the ring and had to get it sized for her. I was going to propose to her today, it was all planned, but I never got the chance to."  
Quatre opened the box to reveal a small heartshaped diamond set onto a thin gold band, "What are you going to do with it now."  
"Keep it and give it to Grace when she's old enough, along with all these other precious things I have of Angel's." Trowa took the ring and box back from Quatre and placed it, along with the photos, into the box that still sat next to him. "If there's anything you want of hers, Quat, let me know. There's those boxes of stuff that I'm leaving with Relena and there's a lot more stuff at the circus back home."  
"Thanks, Tro, I appreciate that." Quatre hoisted himself off the bed, "I'm going to try and get some sleep now. I left Wufei sleeping and if he wakes up and I'm not there, he'll most likely panic. I've been in a really poor state all day and he's had his hands full with me. I owe him so much. Will you be okay?"  
"I'm going to finish up with this and then sit outside for a while. I don't feel much like sleeping. It's going to be a long couple of days until the funeral."  
"Okay, take it easy then. Come get me if you need me. Trowa nodded at his short, blonde friend and Quatre left the room.

*****

The day of the funeral dawned unusually bright and clear. A day, Trowa realized, that befitted the funeral of the wonderful soul of his angel.  
The number of people at the service did not fill up the small church. Trowa glanced around at the people who had come to offer their support. His sister sat on one side of him with Quatre on the other side. Next to Quatre, and clutching his hand tightly was Wufei. Their best friends were there as well, Heero, Relena, and their son, Thomas; Duo and the very pregnant, Hilde. The Peacecrafts, Milliardo and Lucretzia came to pay their respects as well as Sally Po. There were others that Trowa vaguely recognized, but appreciated their support all the same.  
Little was said during the long service, except for the beautiful eulogies done by Hilde and by Quatre. Trowa declined the offer to speak of his beloved Angel, wishing to keep his memories of her to himself.  
There were flowers everywhere, from people such as Quatre's family to those that they worked with, like their friends at the circus. Most of them were in Ania's favorite colors, purple and pink. He smiled at Ania's predictability about some things, especially those that she liked.  
After the service, they filed out of the church, the pallbearers carrying the coffin to the hearse and they proceeded to the gravesite for the burial.

~ Loss of blood ~

As the priest said the final words and they lowered the coffin into the ground, Trowa, clutching Catherine's hand, realized that he had to say good-bye for the last time. Trowa stared down into the ground, it sinking in that she really was gone from his life. He choked back a sob and moved closer to the comforting form of his sister. The Priest finished and the small crowd of people began to break up, moving towards their own cars. Trowa just stood there and stared at the open ground before him.  
"Come on, Trowa, let's go back to the mansion now and get some food and rest." Catherine urged him to go, pulling softly on his arm.  
"No, Cathie," He whispered, "I haven't yet said good-bye yet."  
Quatre came up, with Wufei following closely, "Are you guys coming?"  
Catherine nodded, "Yeah, in just a moment."  
"No." Trowa whispered again, "I haven't said good-bye. I have to stay until I've said good-bye."  
"Trowa?" A hand softly touched Catherine's arm. She turned around to see Heero looking at her with wide prussian blue eyes.  
"Go on ahead with Duo, Hilde, and Relena, Cathie." He motioned to Quatre and Wufei, "You guys go on too, I'll stay with Trowa. I've got my car here. The limo will take the rest of you back to the house."  
Catherine nodded and with a sad look at Trowa turned away and walked toward the waiting black car, Quatre and Wufei walking behind her and quietly chatting.  
Heero placed a hand on Trowa's shoulder, "I'll be waiting at my car for you, Tro, take all the time you need. I'll wait for you."  
Trowa did not know when Heero left him as he stared into the opening in the ground that the person he loved most in the world now rested. Another sob rippled through him and he knelt down at the edge of her grave and finally spoke, "Angel, Ithere's so much I want to say right now, but I am at a loss for words. You are and have been the world to me since the day that I met you so long ago, years ago now and that will never change so long as I live. I wish you could have been there with me three days ago when I saw our daughter for the first time. She's beautiful, Angel, she looks so much like you now, same hair and same eyes, though she's so very little. I hope that she continues to look like you and have those qualities that you have as she grows up. You do live on, Angel, you do, I can already see it in our daughter. We all miss you very much, it's just not the same without you there, though I suppose we will adjust to that eventually, but the imprint you made on our lives will never be forgotten."  
Trowa stopped and wiped the tears from his eyes again, "Angel, I never wanted to have to say good-bye to you and now look at me. I'm standing here trying my hardest to say those words that I hate the most. There is something that Heero once said to Relena, and and I want to say it to you now. _Anata To Isshoni Eien Ni_ - Together with you Forever. Together Forever, Angel, I hope you're always up there looking down on us. I love you, Ania Winner, Good bye."

Ania Jayne Winner  
"Angel"  
Born - AC. 181 Died - AC. 199

Trowa pulled at the small pink rose he wore in his lapel and tossed it into the open grave and stood up. He blew a small kiss into the wind. Without looking back, he walked towards Heero's car.

~ Lost to death ~  



End file.
